The present disclosure is broadly concerned with a universal stacking, self-cleaning disc holder with optional CD/DVD booklet assembly. The disc holder is generally a container for storing optical discs such as compact discs (CD), digital video discs (DVD) or the like. More particularly, it is concerned with a stackable modular storage unit for assembly into a composite media holder assembly for organizing and keeping a mixed variety of CDs, DVDs and accompanying printed materials.
CD's are generally used for recorded music or computer software, while DVD'S are generally used for commercial video recordings of performances such as movies, television programs, and home video recordings. Music CD's and DVD's are commonly packaged in a “keep case” in association with a booklet or so-called “liner notes” describing the contents of the disc and information regarding the performers. Game CDs or computer programs are generally packaged with a game or instruction manual and registration card. While paper, cardboard and other forms of packaging may be employed, the most favored form of packaging is the so-called “jewel box”, or clear plastic hinged box. Integral plastic tabs hold the booklet in place against the front face of the box, so that the booklet also serves as an artistic cover, and the CD or DVD is snapped onto a resilient hub or “post” that retains it in place within the box. A rear label or index of the contents of the disc may be held in place against the rear face of the box.
The digital data forming the music, software or audio visual recording is impressed on the underside of the disc in the form of pits, which are read by a laser mechanism in a corresponding player. Because the pits are not well protected against scratching or fouling with dirt and oils from the skin, it is advisable to handle the discs by their edges to avoid touching the data-impressed underside.
Conventional jewel boxes provide less than ideal disc storage. They can be cumbersome to open and their hinges are subject to failure. Extraction of the disc from the central post may require substantial manual dexterity. If the disc is tightly snapped onto the post, it may be necessary to depress the post somewhat while grasping the edges of the disc to obtain release of the disc from the post. This is generally a three fingered operation, requiring depression of the post with one finger while both sides of the disc are grasped between two other fingers of the same hand to insure that the disc is not tipped and scratched by the post or the edges of the box during removal. Newer jewel boxes have attempted to address this problem by using a shorter post. However, this provides a less secure connection between the disc and the post and makes the disc liable to fall out if the box is inadvertently opened.
It is desirable to provide storage for the discs adjacent the point of use, such as a CD player, DVD player or computer. Various types of storage units such as racks, shelves, drawers and wallets have been designed for storing collections of discs. Rack units have slots sized to receive a jewel box containing a disc. However, if the unit is not orientationally stable, a tilt of the rack in the wrong direction will allow some of the jewel boxes to slide out. Shelves and drawers are more stable than racks, but tend to be substantially more expensive. Drawers require additional space since they must be opened to permit browsing of the titles of discs stored inside. In addition, because DVD booklets are taller than CDs and in order to avoid wasted space, racks, shelves and drawers are typically sized to receive only one type of disc. Unless a collection is evenly mixed, it may be necessary to purchase more racks, shelves or drawers for one type of disc than is required.
Wallet or album type holders receive only the disc itself, without the case or accompanying literature. This may be desirable for portability, but such units fail to protect the discs against warping. They also do not provide storage space for the accompanying literature, which may be misplaced if separated from the related disc. These units also require additional space so that they may be fully opened to permit browsing of the titles or to remove a single disc.
Conventional racks, shelves, drawers and wallet storage units provide space for a predetermined number of jewel boxes or discs. When the storage space is filled, another unit must be acquired or the collection culled to fit the available units. And neither these storage units nor jewel boxes provide direct access to the stored discs without first opening a drawer, wallet or jewel box. It is also desirable to provide labels that can be viewed without opening the storage unit and extracting the disc.
Accordingly, there is a need for a storage system for discs that protects against warping, is modular and expandable, that is orientationally stable, that can be configured to provide space for storage of accompanying literature of varying sizes adjacent respective discs, that provides for easy, direct extraction of the stored discs and literature without the need for opening an individual storage unit, and that provides for selective configuration to permit optimal access to the discs and literature from any side of each individual storage unit.